Rishi Sunak, the UK’s prime minister-designate, will formally become prime minister on Tuesday, despite losing the Conservative leadership contest to Liz Truss only six weeks ago.
The former chancellor, who resigned dramatically from Boris Johnson’s government in July, will become the third Conservative prime minister in less than two months and the fifth in six years.
Sunak takes on the role at a time of deep economic crisis, and is expected to make tough decisions on taxation and public spending that may prove unpopular.
During his brief speech to Conservative MPs on Monday, he emphasised a commitment to levelling up, to a net zero policy on the climate crisis and continued support for Ukraine.
Below is a timeline of the day’s proceedings:
Tuesday 9am: Liz Truss chaired her final cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street before she formally resigns from her role. Notable around the cabinet table were Jeremy Hunt and Grant Shapps who replaced her original chancellor and home secretary Kwasi Kwarteng and Suella Braverman.
10.15am: Truss made her resignation speech outside 10 Downing Street, before travelling to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles, where she will have her final audience with him and formally resign.
Sunak will then travel to Buckingham Palace, where he will be invited to form a government after his first audience with the king in a ceremony known as the “kissing of hands”, although there is no actual kissing involved.
11.35am: Sunak, who will then officially become prime minister, will make his first statement outside No 10, before entering the building as the UK’s third prime minister of 2022 and the first British Asian PM. He is then expected to start making his cabinet appointments.
